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Interesting Self-Defense Stories

Tragedies, blunders and strange successes

There are no lack of interesting self-defense stories - that's for sure! Just give us the time to dig them up, and you'll be amazed...

So, this page is dedicated to interesting self-defense stories, reports about self defence, blunders, mishaps and so on. You will also find tales about some quite extraordinary smart and talented people...

Tales of the bizarre, ignorant and senseless:

By the term "strange" i do mean things out of the ordinary (whatever ordinary might be, come to think of it :) Strange may equal to stupid, bizarre, weird, really different, ignorant, left-field, self-inflicted, hoplessly optimistic, senseless etc. Folks: I am positive you get the picture :-)

If you happen to know about someone or something that could pass amongst these strange fighting arts and self-defense stories - please don't hesitate, but send us your interesting self-defense stories here!

So without further ado - here are some stories and reports that have made me (and others) shrugh, sigh, blush, chuckle, smile or laugh.

Kalyan girl received bravery award:

From: http://www.mumbaipluses.com
(March 2, 2008):

India -- -- Seventeen-year-old Monal Kadlak from the Khadakpada area in Kalyan showed exemplary bravery in catching a mugger who was trying to flee after snatching her gold chain in 2005.

The Thane police recently thanked the teenager after she single-handedly nabbed the chain snatcher. She was presented with a certificate of appreciation and a memento along with a cash prize for her bravery.

Being asked what inspired her to the brave act, the first year college student said, "I knew that I had to act and not cow down. I have learnt karate and this helped me a lot in boosting my confidence."

Read the rest of the story on Mumbaipluses.com

Karate taught son to escape, dad says:

From: bostonherald.com/news/regional/general/view.bg?articleid=1072327
(February 9, 2008):

Massachusetts -- No one came to the aid of a 10-year-old Belmont boy as he was being dragged from his school by a would-be abductor.

So the boy laid down the "Fist Law," the literal translation of Kenpo Karate, which he's studied for three years.

The kid kicked and shouted as his attacker gripped his arm and dragged him for a quarter of a mile until eventually the boy's efforts paid off. The attacker's grip loosened and the boy could run home.

Read the rest of the story on Bostonherald.com

Marathon runner fought and caught intruder:

From: http://www.sun-sentinel.com
(January 20, 2008):

Florida -- "I outran the intruder," a marathon runner said. "He had no cardiovascular system."

Before the chase, the 53-year-old woman - who also has a black belt in karate and who is skilled in kickboxing and kung fu - dragged the 24-year-old burglar down from a fence, threw him to the ground, and put her knee to his chest.

The couple had struggled for a few minutes before the man dropped the bag he had taken and started running.

Read the rest of the story on Sun-sentinel.com

Sent attackers fleeing with Hong Kong fu:

From: http://www.cairnspost.com.au/article/2007/12/20/4839_news.html
(December 20, 2007):

Australia -- Two young thugs held a pocketknife to the throat of 10-year-old Lana Welsh, but the Bentley Park girl lashed out and sent her attackers fleeing with martial arts moves she learned from a Hollywood blockbuster.

The girl, who has never taken a self-defense class, said she had learned the karate moves by watching Shanghai Knights, starring Jackie Chan.

"I got him by the arm that had the knife and twisted it and threw him on to the ground," Lana said. The boy, aged about 12, was sprawled on the path, stunned by her fightback. "He threw the knife at my sister and ran," she said.

Read the rest of the story on Cairnspost.com.au

'Flasher wrestler' arrested:

From: http://www.dailymail.co.uk
(December 6, 2007):

A 17-year-old son of a former police officer wrestled a "flasher" to the ground after the man allegedly exposed himself to his female friend. The karate black belt has now been arrested on suspicion of assault.

Officers initially arrested the man on suspicion of indecent exposure and took him in for questioning. He was released the next day without charge, and made a counter claim of assault.

The man is understood to have complained about scratches and bruises he suffered after being held on the ground.

Read the rest of the story on Dailymail.co.uk

Teenage brown belt saved the day:

From: http://www.dailymail.co.uk
(November 23, 2007):

Teenage brown belt Rebecca Kelly saved the day when her parents were attacked by a Taser-wielding junkie as they picked her up from a karate lesson.

The 13-year-old put her martial arts skills to the test after a drug-crazed yob lunged at her mother, Diane, 53, with the weapon, which temporarily paralyses people with a huge electric shock, as she waited in the car for her daughter.

The girl, who was still wearing her white suit, jumped onto the 29-year-old attacker, as he was trying to drag her mum from their car.

The prosecutor told Leeds Crown Court: "Rebecca pulled the suspect away and shouted 'What do you think you are doing?'" She jumped onto his back, but in the scuffle he turned round and zapped her with the gun.

Read the rest of the story on Dailymail.co.uk

Fighting off man with saw:

From: http://www.sun-sentinel.com
(September 10, 2007):

Florida -- A 17-year-old high school senior said his friends had just picked up a compressor for a robotics high school competition. He said goodbye and went back inside the house to wait for the cables he would also need, leaving the front door open.

Moments later, the hapkido student said, the 6-foot, 300-pound neighbor walked in with a chain saw belonging to the teen's 56-year-old father. Screaming and spewing obscenities, the neighbor tried, in vain, to rev up the tool.

The teenager managed to grab the 18-inch saw and ordered the intruder out. The man refused to go, screamed and wandered around the house. The boy, at 5 feet 6 and 210 pounds, managed to push him to the door frame, where they grappled.

Desperate, the teenager said he shoved his index and middle fingers into the man's eye socket. "His head went up, he lost his balance, and that gave me time to close the door," he said.

Read the rest of the story on Sun-sentinel.com

Actor turns his sword on muggers:

From: http://www.oxfordmail.net
(August 16, 2007):

UK -- When three muggers picked out Oxford actor Tom Clews to steal his cash in the street, they chose the wrong man.

Perhaps they should have decided a 20-year-old carrying a 3ft-long broadsword wasn't the ideal target, but they carried on as they pinched a £20 note from his hand and ran away down the road.

But Mr Clews - who was starring as Greek mythical hero Odysseus at the Edinburgh Fringe - chased them down while bare-chested and brandishing his solid-metal stage weapon.

Mr Clews, from Headington, tripped up one of the gang with his sword then wrestled with them in the street before snatching his money back. When police arrived they hauled in the gang because they were wanted for a similar theft on festival-goers earlier that evening.

Mr Clews, who practices the martial art Tae Kwon Do and plans to study Fight Choreography and Stage Combat, said yesterday: "I followed them hurling abuse and something hit me in the face, I don't know what it was, but I didn't get any cuts or scars.

Read the rest of the story on Oxfordmail.net

Don't put meat cleaver in trousers:

From: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2007-04/05/content_844254.htm
(April 5, 2007):

Pretending to be an express courier, a 24-year-old robber was permitted entry in a trading company in Hong Kong.

He then tried to attack the receptionist with a stun gun but she fought back. The stun gun dropped to the ground in the scuffle.

When the robber bent to pick it up, a sharp cleaver he hid in his trousers pierced an artery in his thigh. The man tried to flee but collapsed in a pool of blood. He died of major blood loss.

Read the rest of the story on Chinadaily.com.cn

Karate kick Buster, 100, floors gang:

From: metro.co.uk/weird/article.html?in_article_id=39307&in_page_id=2
(February 28, 2007):

Britain's oldest worker told on Wednesday how he fought off a gang of would-be muggers – using kung fu. Buster Martin showed that, even at 100, he still knew how to handle himself when he was confronted by the teenagers after a night at the pub.

The World War II veteran scared his three attackers so much they fled empty-handed. Mr Martin, a car washer-cum-mechanic, said: 'They just came at me and pushed me against a wall and tried to take my money from me.

'Then they pushed me on the floor and I went mad. I was lashing out on the floor and then I stood up and was kicking them all.

'I pushed one and kung fu kicked the other one between the legs and he let out a scream. They ran off scared after I did that and I still had all my money.'

Read the rest of the story on Metro.co.uk

Would-be thief subdued by optician, workers:

From: http://www.timesdispatch.com
(December 20, 2006):

A thief with decent vision, not to mention foresight, would never try to rob optician Tom Kirkland.

Kirklands designer eyeglass store in Richmond is across the street from a Capitol police station.

Kirkland, 51, is armed, and hes an instructor in karate. His sales associate, Neal Griffin, 39, is a bodybuilder.

This guy walked into the wrong store, police said.

Read the rest of the story on Timesdispatch.com

Yobs pick on wrong OAP:

From: http://www.ananova.com
(November 10, 2006):

Three thugs who tried to mug a pensioner got a shock - when he turned out to be an ex-Army boxing champ.

George Bayliss, 67, of Bury St Edmunds, had just drawn his pension at the post office when the gang demanded his cash.

The retired builder, who boxed for England in the 1960s, hit the ringleader with a left hook to the chin and his pals fled empty-handed.

Mr Bayliss, the Army's middleweight champion from 1958 to 1960, told the Sun: "They picked on the wrong pensioner."

Read the rest of the story on Ananova.com

Elle Macpherson calmly fights off mugger:

From: http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7005459265
(November 9, 2006):

Australian supermodel Elle Macpherson fought off a mugger Tuesday night on her way to a charity function in London. Macpherson was attacked just as she was crossing the road to the Move For AIDS VIP charity function's red carpet.

A witness tells London's Daily Star newspaper, "We all just looked in horror as we saw a figure in a hoody come out of the shadows.

"But as soon as he grabbed for Elle's bag, she swung around quite calmly, just went for his arm and got her bag ... it looked so simple. The mugger ... staggered back, then ran for it. The lights changed and we tried to follow, but he managed to get away."

Macpherson is known to use the martial art Tai Chi for meditation and relaxation.

Read the rest of the story on Allheadlinenews.com

Nice kick!:

From: http://www.kgw.com
(October 25, 2006):

Oregon -- A female jogger was groped on a dark and foggy path early Tuesday morning in Wilsonville, she told police.

The woman was jogging about 5:45 a.m. when a man approached, "wrapping his arms around her" and "clutching her while grabbing her buttocks with each of his hands," said a spokesman for the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office.

The suspect reportedly said, "nice ass, baby." After breaking free, the woman kicked him twice in the groin.

"The suspect keeled over slightly and stated, "nice kick," the spokesman said.

Read the rest of the story on Kgw.com

Fighting spirit saves pensioner from attack:

From: http://today.reuters.co.uk
(October 23, 2006):

A 70-year-old British pensioner, trained in martial arts during his military service, dispatched a gang of four would-be muggers in a late-night attack in Germany.

The man, a native of Birmingham who now lives in Germany, was challenged by three men, demanding money, while a fourth crept up behind him. Recalling his training, the Briton grabbed the first assailant and threw him over his shoulder.

When a second man tried to kick him, the pensioner grabbed his foot and tipped him to the ground. At this point, the three men, thought to be aged between 18 and 25, fled, carrying their injured accomplice with them.

Read the rest of the story on Today.reuters.co.uk

Muggers flee after boxer turns on them:

From: http://www.thelocal.se/article.php?ID=5220&date=20061014
(October 14, 2006):

Sweden -- An attempted robbery in Västerås on Saturday night ended in ignominious failure for the two young assailants. The attack on their supposed victim, a 70 year old man, began just after midnight with a punch in his face.

What they didn't know was that the 70 year old used to be a boxer. And it didn't take long for the old moves to come back.

The man gave as good as he got - and then some more - and the robbers legged it.

Read the rest of the story on Thelocal.se

Store Customer Helps Apprehend Suspected Thief:

From: http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=439736
(August 22, 2006):

The culprit was only out of jail for a couple of hours and must've missed it; police say the first thing he did after getting out of jail was steal from a store.

One of the store clerks went outside to confront him about stealing cigarettes. He turned around and punched her, and would've hit her again if not for a good Samaritan who knows something about self defense.

James Sjostrom immediately ran outside to help. The thief tried to punch him, but missed. In no time, Sjostrom had him down.

"I just grabbed him and threw him on the ground and sat on him and waited for the police to arrive. I was trained in the marines as a close combat instructor, so I'm pretty familiar with takedown techniques."

Read the rest of the story on Ksl.com

Shreveport reports odd armed robberies Sunday:

From: http://www.shreveporttimes.com
(August 14, 2006):

According to a report, 42-year-old James T. Hill of Shreveport, was walking when he was approached by two men.

But what struck Hill as most noteworthy, the report indicated, were the men's accessories: several handguns for the first robber, and one nickel-plated gun held by the second.

According to reports, Hill said he was approached by the men, who demanded his wallet at gunpoint. As he left after being robbed, the robbers ran after him, and he apparently had enough, the report said.

Hill told investigators he "commenced a martial arts kick" and knocked the gun out of one of the robbers' hands and started wrestling with his attackers.

According to the report, an unidentified man then left a nearby house, armed with a shotgun and threatened to shoot Hill. Hill fled on foot and went to a nearby convenience store to purchase a beer, reports continued, but the store was closed.